The Darkness
by lifethatyouhate
Summary: Lost in the darkness, Sora slowly feels his memories returning…but there’s just one he can’t put his finger on.


Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters.

_Who am I_? That was the question of the day. _And where am I_? That was a good follow up.

A brunette haired boy let himself fall, not even attempting to try and stop it. Some sort of instinct urged him to reach out his hand, to grasp at something- but there was nothing there that he could see, so what was the point? Nothing…nothing…

"Sora," he spoke finally. "That's my name."

_**The**__** door has opened, Sora! **_

_That's strange_, Sora frowned, starting to spread his fingers out, starting to feel an itch that he just couldn't satisfy. He tried to see in the darkness, tried to see if maybe he was just missing something. Still, he could make out nothing._ There's no door here, is there?_

_**Sora, don't ever change**_.

It was even stranger, then, how much Sora yearned for that voice. _Who said that_? He demanded in his head, demanded of his unconscious. That girl's soft voice…

_**Sora! **_The boy found himself opening his hand, reaching out for something, something that someone was passing to him, something this boy wanted him to have…_**You wanted one, didn't you?**_

Wanted a…star? Sora was sure that it looked like a star, and yet he was sure that wasn't the word. Why would he want some stupid little star, anyways? It couldn't matter much if it wasn't coming to him. Then again, all that was coming to him was this boy's voice, and that girl's voice…

_**The darkness will destroy you.**_

"The…the darkness…" Sora struggled to speak. His own voice was so unfamiliar to him, so empty. That boy's voice, again. The name, it was in his head…he knew it was. It was just dying to get out. "Ri…" Sora hesitated, letting himself fall still, falling into nothingness, "Ri…"

_**Giving up already? Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that.**_

"Riku!" Sora exclaimed. He could see the boy in his head, could see the silver hair, short form…could see him holding his weapon, ready to defeat his best friend…could see him wielding the…the…

_**They'll come at you out of nowhere. And they'll keep coming at you, as long as you continue to wield the-**_

Sora recognized this voice, and yet he couldn't put his finger on it. Wield the…

It was exhausting, trying to remember all the things he had forgotten, Sora decided. He let his eyes flutter close. What was the point of even trying, if all he was remembering was his best friend who hated him and…

_**Sora! **_

His eyes flew open. That girl's voice again. The girl who…who…

_**But why? Why would it choose a kid like you?**_

Sora held his hand out again, grasping and releasing the air over and over again. He knew this was the right motion, knew that he was supposed to do that…but why? Why would this thing he couldn't even remember choose him?

_**We had to get it away from you to shake off those creatures.**_

_** It was the only way to conceal your heart from them. But it won't work for long. Still hard to believe that you of all people are the chosen one.**_

"So…this is the key?" Sora closed his eyes. _Leon,_ he remembered him now, _and Yuffie_. And the first time he had met Leon they had fought…because Leon wanted the-

The keyblade flashed into his hand. "Keyblade," Sora whispered, jabbing it into the darkness. It found no solid structure to fit into, and he couldn't very much remember how to use it…he remembered so much else about it, though. The beam of light…his battle pose…because he had been fighting the heartless. That was what those things were, and he was going to become one of them…

_**The keyblade chooses its master, and it chose you.**_

_** So tough luck**_.

He knew this was important, and yet…it still didn't help him. There was something else important he was missing. His best friend, he knew that, Leon and Yuffie, and the keyblade…but that girl…

_**When we grow up, let's get off this island. We'll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff.**_

And the islands.

He had lived on an island, he could remember it now. Destiny Islands…his home. Where he lived with Riku, Selphie, Tidus, Wakka, and…

_**So suppose you get to another world. What would you do there? **_

The girl was right, Sora knew that. There were all kinds of other worlds…other worlds he got to on that ship. Worlds like Wonderland, Olympus Coliseum, Neverland…he traveled all over, all by himself. How had he done all that stuff on his own?

_**All for one, one for all.**_

"No!" Sora shouted into the emptiness around him. "Donald, and Goofy! They were there too!"

_**Sora ain't gonna go anywhere!**_

_** You'd betray your king?**_

_** Not on your life! But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together. See ya later, Donald. Could ya tell the king I'm really sorry?**_

_** Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together. Well, you know…all for one and one for all.**_

That was right…Sora could remember so much of it now. He was at Hollow Bastion with Donald and Goofy, and Riku had taken the keyblade…how had he gotten it back, then?

_**How will you fight without a weapon?**_

Fear pulsed through Sora. What would he do? How could he even survive without the keyblade? That was the only thing that had gotten him so far…

_**I know now I don't need the keyblade. I've got a better weapon. My heart.**_

"Did I…really say that?" Sora asked the air around him, asked whoever had pushed him. Someone must have pushed him, he decided. He wouldn't willingly fall on his own. Not for anyone.

He kept his eyes open, but wished he could just fall in peace. Donald, and Goofy, and Riku… "I don't know if I'm ever gonna see you guys again…"

_**So…ra…**_

_That girl again_. She was important, but who was she? Everything in him anticipated her, every inch of his body danced at just the sound of her voice, and yet he couldn't stop himself from falling just with her voice.

The keyblade shone in his hand. "You're not very useful at times like these," Sora told it, preparing to let it fade away again when he noticed the charm hanging at the end of it.

"Paopu," he spoke. "The…the paopu…"

_**Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with-**_

"Ka…" Sora spoke into the air. "Ka…" He closed his eyes tight and he see everything but her, could see him and Riku on Destiny Islands, the space next to him that he knew belonged to her…He knew she belonged in so many of his memories, and yet he couldn't reach out to her.

"_**This time, I'll protect you**_."

The girl's face was suddenly burned into his head, the smiling face, the short red hair, the cute outfit, standing at the dock, laughing with him…he could almost feel her arms wrap around him, could feel her shielding him…

_**So your heart won this battle.**_

"Kairi," Sora spoke, holding the girl in her arms, holding Kairi in his arms. "Thank you."

Author's Note: I know the whole "Giving up already" thing was said after this situation, but I thought that was a really powerful quote of Riku's, and one of the few that could really get Sora to remember his best friend. Haha, well, this is my take on Sora's time as a heartless. I know it didn't happen this way, etc etc, but this is just what I picture. :) Hopefully you guys like it. Thanks for reading!


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